Nigeria Gay Arrests, Torture and Prison?

On Monday, Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan signed the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act that criminalizes gay marriage, gay organizations and anyone working with or promoting them. This has lead to a mass arrest of dozens of men who are gay or even suspected gay.

The bill, which is widely condemned by the international community and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, enforces penalties of 14 years in jail for gay marriage and up to 10 years for membership or encouragement of any gay organizations.

Four men were first arrested then were tortured until they named others, which then led to an all out “witch hunt” for the named men, according to human rights activists who warned that such persecution will rise under the new Nigerian law.

It is unknown exactly how many arrests were made in Nigeria’s Bauchi state, and a local law enforcement official denied that anyone was tortured.

All of this hostility began after an unfounded rumor that the United States had paid gay activists $20 million to promote same-sex marriage in this highly religious and conservative nation.

The severity of this “witch hunt” can be seen in the actions of the local police officials. The trickery involved in trying to make these arrests saw an officer pretending to be a gay man that joined a group being counseled on AIDS, just to get information and names of those involved who are gay, according to Dorothy Aken’Ova, executive director of Nigeria’s International Center for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights.

The police have arrested 38 men to date and are still on the hunt for 168 others, according to Aken’Ova, whose organization is helping provide legal services to the men. The AIDS counselor said he has helped secure bail for some of the 38 detainees. Many of the 168 men being “hunted” have fled the country.

Shawn Gaylord of Human Rights First, a Washington-based organization, said he was alarmed by the reports of torture and arrests.

“When discriminatory bills like this are passed, we are always concerned that they set the stage for violence and ill-treatment in society even when they are not enforced,” Gaylord said in a statement. “But the fact that this law is being enforced so quickly and forcefully demonstrates the full extent of Nigeria’s human rights crisis.”

These severe anti-homosexuality laws are often based in fear. Many of the perpitrators of these laws and punishments are subconsciously frightened of their own inate homosexual tendencies and as a result of their need to punish themselves inflict pain on others.

JT

God and Jesus would be so ashamed of us. Pretty much all the problems in this world is caused by man and their lack of compassion for others.

By the way, there is only one line in the bible that speaks directly to being gay. It is found in the Old Testament. We must remember that Christ had to come back because we were getting it all wrong. What did he say? Love your neighbor as yourself.

I don’t ever recall Christ saying anything about torture and death for people.

Sunkanmi

What is evil is evil. Sin is sin. An anomaly is an anomaly. Wrong will always be wrong. God’s WORD (the Holy Bible) will FOREVER remain true irrespective of men’s opinion or belief (Romans 3:4; Psalm 119:89). Gay/Lesbianism/Homosexualism/any form of sexual perversion is evil – kindly read Romans 1:20-32.

Thank you.

Daniel

When the citizens attacked the male couple, the region was obliterated from the face of the Earth (Book of Samuel). Clearly the bible states that regions that harm male couples must be wiped from the face of the Earth forever. Eye for an eye, injury for an injury, life for a life.

@Sunkanmi

All I need to know is Love My Neighbor As Myself and Vengeance is mine says the lord.

A) I am not killing and torturing myself ever.
B) I am not worthy to judge anyone’s actions or behavior and frankly, I don’t want to.
C) The bible contradicts itself a lot.

At the end of the day, if someone doesn’t bother me, I will never bother them and I will let Christ decide what to do with me and them.

sheggzzyy

you really need to study you Bible more bro.

http://WebProNews Rev. Darryl Price

Good! All over the world people need to realize that not only gay people have rights. Christians who abide by The Word of God and try to live clean moral lives have a right to raise our children without exposure to their garbage.

Cally Pattinson

People don’t choose to be gay, they deserve at the very least to be able to live without fear. Just because you are Christian doesn’t mean everyone is, it would be like holding Christians to the standards of another religion which they don’t follow.

Adrian Vaughan

Darryl is a very Christian Christian name, Which Saint or Apostle was called ‘Darryl?
This Darryl wants his ‘right’ – fair enough – but he refers to other of his God’s creatures as ‘garbage’. Is that clean and moral to condemn other humans to persecution as garbage? His hero Jesus never condemned anyone as garbage all were to be ‘Saved’ by his sacrifice on the cross.
Darryl is in the same camp as the Nigerian government and the Nazis before them.

Cally Pattinson

I agree, at the end of the day if someone wants to risk Hell in his eyes then let them. It does not impact him in anyone (I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY GAY PERSON WILL GO TO HELL). The bible talks of only 1 unforgivable sin which is denying the existence of God to an extreme level (so atheism), if atheism is not illegal then why is being gay? Atheists can get married so why can’t people who are gay?

Cally Pattinson

It is so sad that some countries are moving backwards rather than forwards with this matter. By all means I don’t think every country has to legalize same sex marriage (although I think it is ok) but at least end this type of prosecution. When will they understand that people don’t choose to be gay and can’t persuade someone to become gay either. If the politicians who are frankly scared, ignorant and hateful think it is choice they should choose to be gay and see how hard life can be in a country like Nigeria.

Sunkanmi

What is evil is evil. Sin is sin. An anomaly is an anomaly. Wrong will always be wrong. God’s WORD (the Holy Bible) will FOREVER remain true irrespective of men’s opinion or belief (Romans 3:4; Psalm 119:89). Gay/Lesbianism/Homosexualism/any form of sexual perversion is evil – kindly read Romans 1:20-32.

Thank you.

Warrior

Why are Christians so utterly fixated with homosexuality? There so many, man examples of ‘sin’ mentioned in the Bible – some of them are mentioned far more often than homosexuality. And yet churchgoers continually obsess over this single issue. Furthermore, NO gay movement could ever match the destructive history of the church. Don’t take my word for it. Read your history books!

Akwan

Gay is bad. In nigeria, Cameroon and other african countries, rich gay entice young inocent and poor boys into the relationship for money. Cameroon should follow suite and ban this for ever. God bless this over sinful world.

Chas.

Nigerians are religious? If this hatred is because of religion, perhaps the world would be better off without religion. The bible has been used to justify every form of hatred and injustice. The bible is NOT the word of God.

Chas.

Oh! And Gandi had it right when he said “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians.They are so unlike your Christ”.